Smanky

I was wearing a size 26 jeans before my surgery but even my size 24 were so loose I had to roll them to keep them on lately. Yesterday I decided to buy a pair of size 20, thinking even if they didn't fit now, they'll fit in a few weeks. Got home and tried them on, they fit with no problem! I haven't been a size 20 in 15 years, I'm absolutely floored.
I also went to the ballet with my family yesterday and not only did I wear a dress from my engagement photoshoot I haven't worn since 2015, but I actually had room instead of being crammed into the tiny theater seats!

You’ve lost 62 pounds in 6 months and you’re dissatisfied with that? I think that looking at other bariatric patients can skew our perspectives on weight loss. If you are expecting the same rate of weight loss as the patients on My 600 Pound Life, for example, that is not realistic because you don’t have nearly as much weight to lose.
Your expectations for weight loss may not be realistic. At your height of 5’6”, your goal weight of 140 pounds puts you at a BMI of 22.6. The average gastric bypass patient loses 50-70% of excess weight, which means that the average gastric bypass patient doesn’t quite get to a BMI below 25 (which would be 155 pounds for a 5’6” person). With a starting weight of 270 pounds, your excess weight was 115 pounds. If you lose 70% of that, it’s 81 pounds of weight loss and a final weight of 189 pounds. A loss of 62 pounds in 6 months puts you on track to achieve that in a year (but remember that there are a lot of factors that can affect rate of weight loss, and you may lose faster or slower than others).
Keep in mind that this is an average and not indicative of any individual patient. It is certainly possible to lose more than that. Some gastric bypass patients do lose all their excess weight and end up with a BMI below 25. You might be able to get to 140 pounds, but it is probably going to take a lot of work. The surgery is just a tool, not magic. If you were expecting to shed all your excess weight in 6 months without trying, then maybe you did waste your time and money, but if you are willing to put in the effort and use the WLS to your advantage, then you can achieve more weight loss than you ever have before.

Update: It's been a month since I posted the photo of my Hair loss last spring. This morning I noticed a lot of 1-2" long hairs on top of my head. I can actually part my hair and the scalp is not so prevalent. I lost most of the hair in June, so it's taken 6+ months for it to noticeably grow in.

P.S. Just wanted to add that when I weighed 146 lbs (at the high end of the BMI range for my height), I had a DEXA scan to see how much more weight I should aim on losing. Turns out my body fat was 21%, which is lean for a female. The technician, as well as my PCP, said it was time for me to stop losing. I was shocked. I figured I could lose at least another 10 lbs. Nope. Again, bone and muscle... (normal body fat range for older women (i.e., me!) is 23-33%. So yea - I was pretty low, even though my weight was at the high end of my BMI range)

The BMI is a flawed guide, with "guide" being the operative word. I'm *JUST* in the "normal BMI" range now, and I'm a US6-8/AU10-12, at 5 foot 7 inches. My collarbone, neck tendons, chest bones all stick out, I can see my ribs, my muscles and tendons in my arms etc. I can even see my hip bones through the loose skin. I look skinny - I know I do, because I get a shock every time I see my full-body reflection, and I've been called skinny by others. But my BMI and the Hip/Waist ratio markers all suggest I'm not. My Hip/Waist ratio tells me I'm still quite overweight! It really doesn't take body shape into account as I've never had an hourglass figure - I joke that I'm shaped like a plank with tits. Straight up and down.
So don't take the BMI to heart, and I think it would be a good idea to tell this doctor your history. Some doctors don't think beyond their charts, unfortunately.

That is a pretty strong drink. Don’t know what your daily calorie intake is but 248 is a lot of calories to waste on a single glass of alcohol which provides no nutritional benefit which should be your focus. 248 calories would have been 3/4 of my daily intake then. The carbs would also be a significant percentage of your limit too I would guess. And alcohol dehydrates you & slows your metabolism.
In saying that I had a gin & tonic at around 2 months at my cousin’s 40th. I nursed that drink for more than 4 hours. Didn’t really enjoy it either & I didn’t have another drink for months. I don’t drink much at all since my surgery. An odd glass of champagne or a G&T maybe once a month or less often. My friends don’t pressure me to drink even though they drink. I realised I don’t need to drink to socialise & enjoy being with my friends.
My question is what sort of friends are they to try to force you to drink when medically you’re advised not to? Are they trying to sabotage your weight loss?
Ultimately though it is your decision. If you want to have a drink maybe look for a lower calorie drink with fewer carbs & less alcohol.

62 pounds in six months is a totally decent rate of loss. I had lost around that much at that stage. Hair loss is normal and most of us go through it, and I daresay all of us have had a day or so of going over the calorie allowance due to a birthday, or Christmas, or a holiday.
There's absolutely nothing to lose hope about here - everything you've described is perfectly normal.

Body dysmorphia. It can bring us down, make us doubt ourselves & mess with our reality far too often.
I have odd days when I question & doubt my size. Even yesterday, I very tentatively & reluctantly put on a pair of jeans thinking the worst: they won’t fit, they’ll be tight. Were they? No. They fit fine. Looked good. Logically I knew they would but my head was saying Christmas, too many Desserts, fat. I knew the scales read only 200g more over the week of Christmas. Yep, 200g, 7 freckin’ ounces, & my mind went to crazy extremes Thankfully it was only a brief bout of insanity until I told myself not to be so damn foolish.
Wish I’ll never have those thoughts ever again, though I think they may always happen in some form. I am glad though that over time I’ve got better at recognising them for what they are (mind games) & can remind myself of the truth of my reality more quickly so I can ignore them. Hopefully you will too.

Only lost 62lb in six months? Nothing only about that, I would say it was pretty significant.
Hair loss is common after any surgery, and for the majority of the people, the issue resolves itself in time. Sweets well tis the season and all that, what matters there is ensuring that you get back on track.
You've lost 62lb how can that be a waste of time and money. Surely your health has improved? Surely you are walking lighter and breathing easier?
While the end goal maybe a much healthier weight, sometimes its useful to focus on non scale goals. Improved health and fitness...lower blood pressure and cholesterol, able to walk faster or jog, fitting into smaller clothing sizes, able to play with children/grandchildren easily etc etc
Well done, keep up the great work!

62 pounds in six months is a totally decent rate of loss. I had lost around that much at that stage. Hair loss is normal and most of us go through it, and I daresay all of us have had a day or so of going over the calorie allowance due to a birthday, or Christmas, or a holiday.
There's absolutely nothing to lose hope about here - everything you've described is perfectly normal.

62 pounds in six months is a totally decent rate of loss. I had lost around that much at that stage. Hair loss is normal and most of us go through it, and I daresay all of us have had a day or so of going over the calorie allowance due to a birthday, or Christmas, or a holiday.
There's absolutely nothing to lose hope about here - everything you've described is perfectly normal.

I struggle to call this a "victory", because I consider it a negative (Non-Scale-Negative? Non-Scale-Oops?), but I've lost all buoyancy. Was at my sister's Xmas day, and I haven't been swimming in a year. Blobbing around like a human pool float was always my jam. Nope. Not anymore! Welcome to sink-like-a-stone-town! I was treading Water in the deep end like a wind-up bath toy, mildly horrified at how hard I had to work to stay afloat.
Thus ends my confidence in the water. I may well be the adult with the pool wings next time I go to the beach. And if I do, I intend to make that fashion accessory work.
Bonus Non-Scale-Negative: I was so cold in that water my nephew remarked that my back was covered in gooseflesh. I lasted maybe five minutes before I had to get out and get warm. In Summer. In Queensland Australia. 🤦‍♀️

I can relate somehow. My negative NSV is that I've lost the "padding" I used to have and now sitting for a long period of time hurts haha.

Seeing my collarbones for the first time in decades

Fitting into a seater vest my mom bought me the very first week of high school. We went to pick up my grandma right after buying it and took her to dinner; this was a few months after my grandpa passed. I was so proud in my new togs.

Wearing a suit and FINALLY understanding not everyone is uncomfortable wearing one

And this is a guy thing and TMI, but … it got bigger. Not actually, but having less fat in the pubic mound made it look bigger 😅😅😅

I struggle to call this a "victory", because I consider it a negative (Non-Scale-Negative? Non-Scale-Oops?), but I've lost all buoyancy. Was at my sister's Xmas day, and I haven't been swimming in a year. Blobbing around like a human pool float was always my jam. Nope. Not anymore! Welcome to sink-like-a-stone-town! I was treading Water in the deep end like a wind-up bath toy, mildly horrified at how hard I had to work to stay afloat.
Thus ends my confidence in the water. I may well be the adult with the pool wings next time I go to the beach. And if I do, I intend to make that fashion accessory work.
Bonus Non-Scale-Negative: I was so cold in that water my nephew remarked that my back was covered in gooseflesh. I lasted maybe five minutes before I had to get out and get warm. In Summer. In Queensland Australia. 🤦‍♀️

I struggle to call this a "victory", because I consider it a negative (Non-Scale-Negative? Non-Scale-Oops?), but I've lost all buoyancy. Was at my sister's Xmas day, and I haven't been swimming in a year. Blobbing around like a human pool float was always my jam. Nope. Not anymore! Welcome to sink-like-a-stone-town! I was treading Water in the deep end like a wind-up bath toy, mildly horrified at how hard I had to work to stay afloat.
Thus ends my confidence in the water. I may well be the adult with the pool wings next time I go to the beach. And if I do, I intend to make that fashion accessory work.
Bonus Non-Scale-Negative: I was so cold in that water my nephew remarked that my back was covered in gooseflesh. I lasted maybe five minutes before I had to get out and get warm. In Summer. In Queensland Australia. 🤦‍♀️

I struggle to call this a "victory", because I consider it a negative (Non-Scale-Negative? Non-Scale-Oops?), but I've lost all buoyancy. Was at my sister's Xmas day, and I haven't been swimming in a year. Blobbing around like a human pool float was always my jam. Nope. Not anymore! Welcome to sink-like-a-stone-town! I was treading Water in the deep end like a wind-up bath toy, mildly horrified at how hard I had to work to stay afloat.
Thus ends my confidence in the water. I may well be the adult with the pool wings next time I go to the beach. And if I do, I intend to make that fashion accessory work.
Bonus Non-Scale-Negative: I was so cold in that water my nephew remarked that my back was covered in gooseflesh. I lasted maybe five minutes before I had to get out and get warm. In Summer. In Queensland Australia. 🤦‍♀️

Last summer I went to Spain and the temperature was in the 90's. Hot Hot Hot. I did not break a bead of sweat. Didn't use the air con, just felt brilliant. Today its -8 and I am going Christmas shopping with my bestie. I am freezing in a Thermal vest, jumper dress, leggings, long socks and fur boots, big parka coat and bobble hat, wool scarf and two pairs of gloves. I always complained about being too hot before surgery....... serves me right

We recently moved to a new apartment. Guess who was up on the ladder all day installing curtain rails, hanging curtains, photos etc. I can't remember the last time I was on something that is more than 20 cm above the ground 😂. I can't use my weight as an excuse to tell my wife that I can't climb on the ladder and hang stuff anymore.
Skipping meals and hard labor during the past week seems to have paid off. I lost 4 kgs and now down to 89 Kg (from 150 kg before WLS)

I now wear some of my fav t. shirts as night dresses. They come to my knees. BTW you are doing amazingly

When I see my shadow now it looks like "Slenderman" to me and it cracks me up every time!

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Congrats! You did amazing! 🎉💗😄

Congratultions!!!! I love reading this! I am still waitng for my sugery, so this is really inspirational for me!

Congratulations!!!!!

Absolutely fantastic!!! This is so awesome. I love these stories because it's hard to not feel like I'll never hit my goal. I had it in my head that I "have" to hit it by my 1 year anniversary. But you're proof that even if it takes longer than a year, it can and will still happen. Congratulations!!!